Wonder Movie Adaptation Promotes Kindness

The Wonder movie—a heartfelt adaptation of R.J. Palacio’s beloved children’s book—hits theaters today. The main character is 10-year-old Auggie Pullman (Jacob Tremblay of Room), who loves his dog, his family, all things Star Wars, and science. Born with a craniofacial condition, Auggie often wears a helmet in public and has trouble blending with other kids, who stare and whisper at him.

After years of homeschooling, Auggie’s parents (Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson) are finally ready for him to start fifth grade at an elite private school. There, Auggie connects with his understanding headmaster Mr. Tushman (Mandy Patinkin) and caring homeroom teacher Mr. Browne (Daveed Diggs). For the first time, Auggie must learn to interact with classmates. Some are potential friends, like Jack Will (Noah Jupe) and Summer (Millie Davis). Others, like rich-kid Julian (Bryce Gheisar), ridicule and bully him. Meanwhile, Auggie’s older sister Via (Izabela Vidovic) is in high school with social issues of her own to navigate.

This is ultimately Auggie’s story, but it shifts in perspective to show that all kids—and even parents—deal with self doubt, insecurity, and sadness. All of the actors, from Tremblay and the other young actors to the four award-winning adult actors, bring a vulnerability to their roles, making the film emotional without devolving into overt sentimentality. But let’s be honest, most parents and young fans of the book may cry.

Watch the Wonder Movie Trailer:

How to #ChooseKind:

Wonder, which is available in 40 different languages, is a thriving anti-bullying movement as well as an international best-seller. Palacio wants to inspire young viewers to understand the impact of choosing kindness.

“One random act of kindness can make somebody’s day or change somebody’s life,” she told Mom2. “I think’s it’s valuable for kids to see how important it is to be kind.”

#ChooseKind encourages students, teachers, and parents to commit to making classrooms and schools “certified kind” no bullying zones. You can sign a pledge, support the National Bullying Prevention Center, and watch a video of the author speaking to school kids about the importance of kindness and inclusion.

The site prompts readers to submit their own precepts — like Auggie’s teacher Mr. Browne — and to share how they choose kindness every day in all sorts of ways. Families that want to learn more about children with craniofacial differences can also visit the Children’s Craniofacial Association for their Wonder projects. Tremblay compiled a binder full of letters from kids with craniofacial conditions. He kept that binder with him on the set and after the movie shoot even went to a CCA camp to be with and thank the families that helped him realistically portray Auggie.

Community and Critical Response:

Don’t just take one critic’s word for it. Wonder boasts an impressive 84% on the Tomatometer from movie reviewers we respect like Movie Mom Nell Minow, who says “This is a movie that might look ordinary but is a quiet gem of insight and inspiration.”

Common Sense Media editor (and mom of two) Betsy Bozdech says: “In the end, while it’s not hard to see where Wonder is going, getting there is a valuable, uplifting journey, especially for kids.”

Within our Mom2 community, I asked teacher and Wonder fan Amy Mascott and her children what they thought:

“We loved how diverse the cast was. And though we loved Justin in the movie, we debated about him afterwards…Owen pictured him as Asian when he read, so he was surprised to see an African-American actor. Maddy, Cora, and I loved Justin in the movie, and thought he was better than we expected.”

Maddy, 8th grade, said the adaptation captures the book’s spirit: “It was one of those really good movies where it was exactly like the book. Every single scene was really well done–just like I pictured it.”

Amy, who wrote a discussion guide about Wonder, says the book provides valuable lessons for families. “We talk about it often over here and how we all strive to be like Summer in our interactions with others. It’s become a goal: can you be a “Summer”—a good friend—for someone today?”

More Page-to-Screen Movies:

In addition to Wonder, two more great page-to-screen family films are out right now. Wonderstruck, based on writer-illustrator Brian Selznick’s amazing 2011 dual-POV novel, chronicles two 12-year-old kids who make life-changing journeys to New York City… 50 years apart. Animated drama The Breadwinner , based on Canadian author Deborah Ellis’ 2000 middle-grade novel, follows a girl in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan who disguises herself as a boy to provide for her family. There are so many quality films to see this time of year!

SANDIE ANGULO CHEN is a writer, critic, and pop culture addict. She’s written about movies, books, and entertainment since 1998, when she landed her first job after college at Entertainment Weekly. Sandie has contributed as a feature writer and critic at AOL Moviefone, the Washington Post, Variety, Huffington Post, TV Squad, Film.com, Kirkus Books, and other entertainment outlets. When she’s not running around the DC area with her three children, reading YA books, or screening movies and TV shows (favorites include Singin’ in the Rain, Pulp Fiction, All About My Mother, Lost, The Simpsons, and The Wire), she runs Teen Lit Rocks, a young-adult book blog and The DC Moms, a local lifestyle site. She holds a bachelors degree in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University. Follow her on Twitter at @sandieachen & @teenlitrocks and on Instagram at @sandie_chen.

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AN OPEN CONVERSATION BETWEEN MOMS + MARKETERS + MEDIA
Mom 2.0 is a gathering of influencers and leaders who create content online and on air in parenting, entertainment, food, politics, business, marketing, technology, social change, travel and design.